Review | Vypera – Race Of Time

Frontiers Music Srl

`Race Of Time’ is the second album by the Swedish rockers, gripping back to the heydays of hard rock. Following the path of predecessor `Eat Your Heart Out’ it instates Vypera in the ranks of rock worshipping at the altar of eighties hard rock and metal. 

PARTY AT THE POOL

Vypera is an energetic bunch of brats delivering what they love, and that splatters off the album. Riff driven rockers with energy combusting make for a hard rock party at the pool. It blends the classic arena rock elements with a pub rock attitude and sleazy edge, scattering energy. ,,Hey You” instantly brings what we expect; wonderful guitars with swirling melodies and licks, roaring vocals with appeal and swagger, and a party-proof groove propelling. The choruses nest and the hooks are potent. ,,Mary Jane” rocks solid and ,,Vicious” blasts with excellent breaks towards the towering melodic chorus, while ,,No Place for a Dreamer” drones forward with wonderful guitar chordings and licks that are pitched into appealing riffs and wonderful vocal interaction (Heaven’s Edge, Biloxi). The wonderful guitars are constantly discharged on ,,Race of Time” and make the songs benefit. 

AN EXPLOSIVE COCKTAIL

,,Trying Hard to Run Away” is an example of how Christoffer Thelin (rhythm) and Cederick Forsberg’s (lead) guitars dominate the mix with wonderful rhythms and licks, while Andreas Wällstrom injects the right dose of vocal rawness and strutting swagger. ,,Speedin” does justice to its title with hammering drum and ploughing bass fused onto the powerful riff that holds it up. Tons of licks explode amidst the rocking throb of the track. Vocals are pristine and raw, with Jailhouse and XYZ coming to mind. The sleaze drips and when the solo starts to pile notes, the ponder explodes. This explosive cocktail is brooding on ,,Slave to Love” as well, though touching more melodic, right on the edge of predictability and cliché. It is however the honesty of the execution dripping through.

VYPERA – THE CONCLUSION

,,Riding on the Wind” opens with energetic chorus before shifting back for its refrain. The slow pace is what mid-tempo rocker ,,Stormwind” holds up. ,,Fool’s Game” and ,,Daytona” open slower but start to build with throbbing bass and hammering drums underneath the excellent guitar delivery. Both songs pack nesting choral execution and dynamic musical interaction. 

Vypera might not be instantly attracting the right audience and its cover does not add to that, but the musical execution is tremendous. It packs all clichés and borders with predictability, but the honesty of the songs and production is dismantling prejudice. There is so much joy and fun unloaded it will nest deep. It took me two spins to be won over and I enjoyed `Race of Time’ since. 

Party on dudes and dudettes! 

Release date: 16 June 2023